Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
Effective January 12, 2009, all Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers will be required to obtain an electronic travel authorization (ESTA)
prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the U.S. under the VWP. Children and infants must have their own ESTA.
VWP travelers may apply for an ESTA online through the following U.S. government Web site
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov*. ESTA applications
may be submitted at any time prior to travel to the United States and a third party, such as a travel agent, will be permitted to submit
an ESTA application on behalf of a VWP traveler. VWP travelers are encouraged to apply for authorization as soon as they begin to plan a
trip to the United States, and no later than 72 hours before departure.
The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is currently accessible via Internet for citizens and eligible nationals of VWP
countries to voluntarily apply for advance authorization to travel to the United States under the VWP.
Please visit https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov* for more information or to
apply for an ESTA.
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Planning on leaving the country? In addition to a passport, some countries require a visa. A visa is an entry by the authorities of a country in a passport or other travel document to show that the bearer may travel to that country. In some cases a visa may be issued as a separate document. Visit these sites to help you prepare for your
trip.
Visa/Immunizations*
Please contact the nearest Consulate of the country to which you are traveling for additional information and the latest updates.
Note the following:
- U.S. citizens require a valid visa for travel to Brazil, Bolivia, China, India and Russia.
- Many countries require proof of return/onward travel (such as the itinerary/receipt
offered by American Airlines) and sufficient funds for your stay. Please contact
the nearest Consulate of the country to which you are traveling for additional
information.
Visa
Waiver Program (VWP)*
Each passenger who wishes to enter the U.S. under the VWP must have a machine-readable
passport (MRP). Children, including babies, must also have their own
machine-readable passport when traveling under the VWP. Nationals of VWP countries
remain subject to US-VISIT even when holding
a machine-readable passport. When the passport does not hold a machine-readable
zone, nationals of the VWP countries require a valid U.S. visa (all visa holders
are subject to US-VISIT).
Countries participating in the Visa Waiver
Program will be required to issue passports which contain digital photographs.
However, anyone issued a machine-readable passport prior to October 26, 2005,
will be "grandfathered in" and allowed to visit the U.S. until the
passport expires.
All passports issued October 26, 2006, or later must be an e-Passport for VWP travelers
to be eligible to enter the United States without a visa. An e-Passport has an integrated computer chip
that holds the same information printed on the passport's data page: the holder's name, date of birth and
other biographic information.
Temporary, emergency, official and diplomatic passports are exempted from digital photo and electronic chip requirements, but must be machine-readable. This rule applies to all VWP countries except for Germany. Temporary or emergency German passports are not valid for VWP travel, and must contain a visa for admission to the United States.
More information on requirements for the Visa Waiver Program can be found at
http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/tempvisitors_novisa_waiver.html*
US-VISIT Program*
All visitors to the U.S., except nationals of Canada, must register under the
US-VISIT (Visitor and Immigration Status Indicator Technology) program. This
means they will be photographed and electronically finger scanned upon arrival.
More information on this program can be found at
http://www.dhs.gov/us-visit*
Learn about passport requirements on our Passport
Information page.
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